Clothes scale for washing machines



March 17, 1953 H. F. HOWARD 2,631,839

CLOTHES SCALE FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed Nov. 15, 1949 2 SHEE'rs--SHEET 1 "-f E `EwlywodMmm ATTORNEY March 17, 1953 H. F. HOWARD 2,631,839

CLOTHES SCALE FOR WASHING MACHINES INVENTOR HE/vey How/rep mwa VM@ ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 17, 1953 CLOTHES SCALE FOR WASHING MACHINES Henry F. Howard, Paterson, N. J., assigner of one-fourth to Alfred W. Vibber, and live per cent to John Gemmink, both of Paterson, N. J.

Application November 15, 1949, Serial No. 127,409

5 Claims. (Cl. 265-68) This invention relates to a weighing device or scale, such device being particularly adapted for mounting on a washing machine, whereby the operator may weigh the clothes going into the machine and may thus be assured of not overloading such machine.

Modern washing machines for use in the home are designed to take certain maximum loadings. If such maximum loading for a particular machine is exceeded, the clothes in such batch will usually be washed inadequately, due to the fact that the washing machine will not, when thus overloaded operate in its most efcient manner. With some types of washing machines, such overloading also introduces the possibility of stalling the driving mechanism and thereby injuring the machine or ruining it. With washing machines of the centrifugal type, such as the Bendix and the Westinghouse Laundromat, overloading of such machines leads to their serious unbalance and is liable to injure the suspension mechanism for the clothing containing drum.

It is accordingly among the general objects of the invention to provide a scale, particularly adapted for application to washing machines, so that the operator may be assured that he is not overloading the machine.

More particularly the invention is directed to the provision of a scale, particularly adapted for weighing clothes, of novel and improved construction.

Yet a further object of the invention resides in the provision of a scale of the type indicated which is particularly adapted and designed for mounting upon a washing machine, the scale being of such construction that it is readily calibrated for any particular maximum load over an appreciable range, and also such that it will quickly and accurately show when such maximum load is reached.

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision, in the scale of the invention, of means whereby the scale may be swung to an inoperative position, the preferred illustrative embodiment of the scale combining with such pivoting support means automatically to pivot the clothes scale lever vertically downwardly to a retracted, inoperative, position.

These and further objects of the invention will be more readily apparent in the following description of a preferred embodiment of the scale of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification:

Fig. 1 is a View in side elevation of a preferred embodiment of the clothes scale of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a View in bottom plan of the scale of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of the clothes scale from the side opposite that shown in Fig. l, the cover plate of the main housing portion being removed;

Fig. 4 is a View in perspective of a fragment of the pivot pin and of the spring pressed plunger of the apparatus;

Fig. 5 is a view in vertical section through the main housing portion of the scale, the section being taken along the line 5--5 in Figs. 1 and 3;

Fig. 6 is a view in horizontal section through the rear pivot portion of the scale, the section being taken along the line 6 6 in Fig. 3; and

Fig. '7 is a similar view in horizontal section through the rear end of the housing of the scale, the section being taken along the line 'l-1 in Fig. 3.

In the preferred embodiment of the clothes scale shown, there is provided a main housing for such scale, such main housing being generally designated by the reference character 2. Main housing 2 is adapted to be supported in a vertical plane and is adapted to be pivoted about a vertical axis, being supported for such pivotal motion by means of the bracket generally designated 4. The rear main portion of the bracket, designated 5, is flat in this instance, being adapted to be attached to a flat wall surface of a washing machine by means of bolts or screws extending through the holes shown in portion 6. It will be appreciated that, if the clothes scale is to be applied to a washing machine with a curved wall or tub, the portion 6 of the bracket will be curved so as to be complementary to such surface of the machine. If the bracket is to be mounted directly on the tub of the washing machine, a sealing gasket will be interposed between part 6 of the bracket and the tub. Bracket 4 has an upper horizontal arm 8 and a lower horizontal arm lll, between which the rear end portion of housing 2 is located.

Housing 2 is composed of a main body portion l2 of shallow box-like construction, portion l2 being preferably formed as an integral die-casting. Portion l2 of the housing serves as the main support for the scale lever and for the various driving and indicating gears, shafts, etc., to be described. Portion l2 is provided with a top horizontal ange portion I6 and a bottom flange portion i8, shown more clearly in Fig. 3, there being a slot 20 through the iiange portion on part I2 at the forward end of the housing 2 to accommodate the vertical swinging action of the clothes scale lever 22. The bottom iiange portion i8 of part I2 is cut away on a bias, as shown at i3 in Fig. 2, to allow the clockwise pivoting of the housing 2 from the operative position shown in Fig. 2, as indicated by the curved arrow, to an inoperative position at right angles to such operative position.

Scale lever 22, which is narrow in horizontal section and wide in vertical section as indicated in Figs. l and 2, is provided on the rear end thereof with a somewhat vertically expanded'portion at which the lever ispivotally supported on a horizontal axis and by means of which the lever housing is the pedestal 24, preferably formed in- .tegrally therewith, such pedestal having an `outer portion 25 of reduced diameter which forms the Ypivot pin for the inner end of the .lever 22. Such construction is more clearly shown in Fig. 5.

Lever 22 is retained upon the pivot pin 26 by l reason of the substantial engagement between `the surface of such lever .and the inner surface of the cover plate I4 which is attached to the flanges I6 and .I8 of the housing by screws, in the i manner shown in Fig. 5.

The inner end of lever 22 is provided, as .shown ,in Fig. 3, with a partially annular slot 28 which lies above pivot pin 26 and is coaxial therewith. On the inner surface of slot 23 there is provided Va fgearisegment 3d. `Gear 3@ .is .constantly in mesh with the small pinion 32 which is keyed, as is more clearly shown in Fig. 5, on the outer end of the shaft 34. Shaft 34 extends through and is rotatably supported .in a bore through the thickened side wall portion 35 of the housing part l2, as shown in Fig. 5. There is a -circular well or depression on the outer face yof wall portion 3S, such well receiving the indicating disc 38 which is iaffixed to, and is preferably made integral with,

the shaft 34 at its outer end. The outer surface l of indicating disc 33 is provided with an indicating .arrow 40, such arrow cooperating with the fixed indicating arrow 42 on the outer surface of housing part I2.

When the lever 22 .is in its operative position and has no load thereon, it lies in the position shown in Figs. l and 3. The lever is stopped in suchposition by reason of the engagement between its upper surface and the terminal point 43 on the forward fiange on housing portion l2. it

will be apparent that rotation of lever 22 in a clockwise direction as the device is shown in Fig. l., will result in the driving of indicating disc 38 in a counterclockwise direction. Means to be described are provided to `oppose such clockwise rotation of lever 22 in such manner that the opposing force increases with the increasing torque imposedupon lever 22.. Accordingly, when arrow .42 of disc 33 confronts the arrow 42, with the choice of suitable constants for the opposing force, there will be imposed on lever 22 a force corresponding to the calibrated maximum for which the scale is designed and set. The initial, rio-load setting, Yof disc 33 may be varied by initial angular setting between pinion 32 and gear segment 3l).

The opposing force on lever 22 is supplied by the following means. The end of lever 22 within housing 2 is provided on the surface remote from the cover plate i4 with a gear 44 coaxial with pivot pin 26. Gear 44 is iixedly attached to lever 22 and is preferably made integral therewith. Meshing with such gear 44 is a partial, larger, gear 46 which is pivotally mounted upon the pivot pin 28. Pin 48, as shown in Fig. 5, is formed as the outer end of reduced diameter of the pedestal 5@ which protrudes from the inner surface of housing part l2. Gear 46 is maintained upon pin `48 by means of the pad 52 protruding from the inner face of the cover plate lei. Meshing with gear 46 at a point substantially diametrically opposite the point of engagement between gears 44 and 45 is a rack gear 5d, gear 54 being affixed to the outer surface of a vertically reciprocable key member 555 vprotruding from the plunger 12. Plunger 'i2 will be more fully described hereinafter.

The rear end of the main housing member l2 of the scale is formed, in effect, as a tube, the tube as shown in Fig. 3 having a rear wall 52 and a forward wall 52. Within the thus described tube vis a pivot pin generally designated B0. Such pin,

which connects Ahousing 2 to bracket 4, has ahead portion 22 and a stem portion 6ft of reduced diameter. Preferably the stem portion 54 is Amade of a steel rod having a threaded or otherwise roughened upper end thereon, the portion 6,2 being of die-cast Ymaterial which interlocks with the roughened upp-er end of stem 64. Part 62 .is provided with an enlarged cap portion 66 which is oiga diameter exceeding that of the lower portion of part 52 that of the lhole in the upper arm 8 of the bracket in which part 52 ts, so that member @t may be inserted downwardly within the tube, being prevented from falling therethrough by engagement between the cap 56 and the upper surface of arm 2. Pivot pin 62 is prevented from rotation with respect to the bracket 2 by reason of a radial key member 58 protruding from part 62 beneath the cap 5S, key member 5S fitting within a complementary key-way in the opening through arm d which receives part 62, as shown in Fig. 3. After assembly of the pivot pin and of the spring and spring seat washer, to be described, in the tubular rear end of the housing, the pivot pin is headed at the lower end, as shown at '112, to prevent its axial withdrawal.

Slidably fitting within the bore 52 through the tubular portion of the rear end of the housing in the lower end thereof is the vertically reciprocable plunger i2. Member 'i2 at its upper portion snugly and slidably fits about the stem member 64 and is provided at its medial and lower end portions with a counterbore 14. Contained within the counterbore and bearing against the upper end thereof is a coil compression spring 16 which constantly urges plunger 12 in an upward direction. The lower end of spring 'I6 rests upon a spring seat providing washer member 28, member T8 resting upon the upper surface of arm i0 of the bracket and being restrained from rotation with respect to .the housing l2 by the radial 'key member et on the washer. Key member 80 ts within the vertical slot S2 through wall 58 of the tubular rear end of the housing, the above described key member 55 on plunger 'l2 reciprocating in such slot. Considering Fig. 3 particularly, it will be seen that when a load is imposed upon scale arm 22, thus rotating the arm counterclockwise about its pivotal point as the device is shown in Fig. 3, the gear 45, as a result, will be rotated clockwise. Such clockwise rotation 'of gear i6 drives the rack gear 54 downwardly, carrying with it the plunger member 'i2 and thus progressively compressing the spring l. It will be appreciated that the rotation of indicating disc 38 will thus bear a straight-line relationship with the amount of torque imposed upon lever 22 and thus the amount of clothes or other materials hung upon such lever. It will be appreciated that spring '5S will be chosen in each instance, to have 4compression characteristics such that the scale will operate within a predetermined load range, examples of such ranges being 6 7 pounds, '7-8 pounds, 8-9 pounds, etc.

Because clothing will in the main be hung upon the lever in the same manner, time after time, no localized point of hanging of the clothes on the lever is usually necessary. Calibration of the scale will be effected after a large number of tests of the random disposal of clothing upon the scale lever, and thus the reading of the scale in operation will be accurate within a close enough tolerance for the purpose in hand. If, however, it is desired to make the scale more accurate, it is necessary only to hang a clothes suspending means from one fixed point on the outer end of lever 22, as from a hole drilled through the scale lever 22, as indicated at 83 in Fig. l.

As above indicated, the main housing portion 2 of the scale may be swung from the operative position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 to a position in which the housing, and consequently the lever 22, will occupy a position vertical of the paper as the device is shown in Fig. 2. In the preferred embodiment, means is provided to hold main body 2 stably in either of such two positions. Such means takes the form of a projection 8d on the bottom of the spring seat washer '58, such projection cooperating with the two partially spherical depressions 86 and S8 on the upper surface of the arm l0 of the bracket 4. It will be seen that spring seat Washer 1S is constantly pressed downward by reason of the action of spring 16. Thus, when the projection Sli is engaged in either of depressions 86 or 38 the housing 2 is held stably In the embodiment of the clothes scale shown,

there is incorporated in the pivoting means for the housing a further means whereby, when the housing 2 is swung from the operative position shown in Fig. 2 to the inoperative position at right angles thereto, above described, the scale lever 22 is automatically lowered into a vertical position, in which it lies close to the supporting surface such as the wall of the washing machine.

Such last named means, that is, the automatic scale lever lowering means, in the illustrative embodiment is incorporated in the mating surfaces of the parts E2 and l2, which are more clearly shown in Fig. e. As can be seen in Fig. 4, part 52 is provided with a toothed lower end Si), and plunger 12 is provided with a toothed upper end 92 complementary to the end 9i). In the embodiment shown, two diametrically opposed teeth are provided on both ends 953 and S2, one such point on end Si? being designated 94. Tooth S has a vertical surface 9B lying parallel to the axis of members 6) and l2, the teeth on end 92, of which one is shown at 98, having similar vertical surfaces, that on tooth 98 being designated lee. Leading up to the teeth, in a direction toward the vertical surfaces thereon, are inclined surfaces, that on end 9B leading up to surface 9S being designated W2 and that on end 92 leading up to vertical surface |00 being designated |04. Head portion 62 of the pivot pin 60 is keyed to 6 the bracket 4 as described. With the plunger 12, which is held from rotation about its axis by reason of the engagement between the key member 555 and the slot 82, in the operative position shown in Fig. 3 the vertical surfaces of the teeth, that is surface S5 on part 62 and surface |00 on part l2 are in confronting relationship, with the peak of the teeth on one part substantially in contact with the valleys of the teeth on lthe other part. It will be apparent that, with the parts 62 and 12 in su-ch relationship, the plunger 12 is permitted to slide freely vertically downward with respect to part S2.

When the housing is pivoted into inoperative position parallel with the supporting surface for the scale, it rotates in a direction toward the reader in Fig. 3. Thereupon the peaks of the teeth and the inclined surfaces leading up to the peaks of the teeth on plunger 12 ride down the complementary inclined surfaces leading to the valleys of the teeth on part 62, and the plunger 'z2 is thus driven downwardly. Such downward driving of the plunger results in the clockwise rotation of gear #it and the counterclockwise rotation of gear 44, as the device is shown in Fig. 3', t. ereupcn positively driving the scale lever 22 counterclockwise into the inoperative, vertical, position in which it lies close to the supporting surface for the scale.

Although for purposes of illustration I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of the scale of the invention and have indicated a preferred application of the same, that is, for the weighing of clothes, it will be understood that the scale, within the scope of the invention, is capable of considerable variation as to details of construction and that it is capable of use to advantage in numerous applications. The invention is, therefore, defined by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim as new the following:

l. A weighing device comprising a main housing, a housing supporting bracket adapted to be attached to a vertical supporting member, means to connect the housing and bracket so that the housing may be pivoted with respect to the bracket on a vertical axis from an operative po-` sition in which it projects substantially at right angles to I,the supporting member to an inoperative position in which it lies parallel to the supporting member, a load receiving scale lever pivoted in the housing, a pivot pin on the housing mounting the inner end of the scale lever, said scale lever having an outer arm projecting from the housing, the outer end of the scale lever lying substantially horizontal, an indicating means connected to the scale lever to indicate the amount of deflection of the lever, means Within the housing comprising a plunger and a spring thrusting such plunger to coact with the scale lever yieldingly to oppose said deiiection of the scale lever, cooperating cam members on the housing and plunger, respectively, operative tothrust the plunger in a direction to retract the plunger against the action of its spring when the housing is pivoted with respect to the bracket to lie parallel to the supporting member, whereby when the housing is so pivoted the scale lever is thrust into a vertical, inoperative-position.

2. weighing device comprising a main housing, a housing supporting bracket adapted to be attached to a vertical supporting member, ymeans to connect the housing and bracket so that the housing may be pivoted on a vertical axis, with respect to the bracket, from anoperative position in which it projects substantially at right angles to the supporting member' to an inoperative position in which it lies parallel to the supporting member, said last named means comprising a vertical pivot pin attached to the bracket and projectingr into the rear end of the housing, a load receiving scale lever pivoted in the housing, a pivot pin on the housing mounting the inner end of the scale lever, said scale lever having an outer arm projecting substantially horizontally from the forward end of the housing, a motion multiplying indicating means connected to the scale lever adjacent the pivot pin therefor to indicate the amount of deection of the lever, means within the housing coacting with the scale lever yieldingly to oppose said deflection of the scale lever, said last named means comprising a plunger mounted in the housing about the pivot pin connecting the housing and bracket, said plunger being slidable in a vertical direction, a coil spring constantly urging the plunger upwardly, gearing connecting the plunger to the scale lever, and means automatically to thrust the scale lever into a vertical, inoperative, position in which it depends from the housing when the housing is pivoted with respect to the bracket to lie parallel to the supporting member, said last named means comprising a toothed upper end on the plunger, at least one tooth on the plunger, said tooth having one side thereof straight and lying parallel to the axis of the plunger, the other side or" said tooth being in the form of an inclined surface rising to the peak of said tooth, the bracket having mounted thereon a projection coacting With the toothed upper end of the plunger, the lower end of said projection having a tooth thereon which mates With and is complementary to the tooth on the plunger,

the plunger and projection being so oriented that the straight sides of the mating teeth are parallel to each other when the housing is at right angles to the supporting member.

3. A Weighing device comprising a main housing, a housing supporting bracket adapted to be bracket and projecting through the rear end of the housing, a load receiving scale lever pivoted in the housing, a pivot pin on the housing mounting the inner end of the scale lever, said scale lever having an outer arm projecting substantially horizontally from the forward end of the housing, a motion multiplying indicating means connected to the scale lever adjacent the pivot pin therefor to indicate the amount of deection of the lever, means within the housing coacting with the scale lever yieldingly to oppose said deflection of the scale lever, said last named means comprising a plunger mounted in the housing about the pivot pin connecting the housing and bracket, said plunger being slidable in a vertical direction, a coil spring constantly urging the plunger upwardly, a rack on the plunger, a rst circular gear coaxial With the pivot pin for the scale lever nxedly mounted on the lever, and a second circular gear mounted on an axis parallel to the pivot pin for the scale lever, said second circular gear meshing with the first circular gear and with the rack on the plungen, and means automatically to thrust the scale lever into a vertical, inoperative, position in which it depends from the housing when the housing is pivoted with respect to the bracket to lie parallel to the supporting member, said last named means comprising a toothed upper end on the plunger, a plurality of angularly spaced teeth on the plunger, said teeth having the same one side of each straight and lying parallel to the axis of the plunger, the other side of each of said teeth being in the form of an inclined surface rising to the peak of said tooth, the bracket having mounted thereon a vertical projection coacting with the toothed upper end oi the plunger, the lower end of said projection having teeth thereon Which mate with and are complementary to the teeth on the plunger, the plunger and projection being so oriented that the straight sides of the mating teeth are parallel to each other when the housing is at right angles to the supporting member.

4. A weighing device comprising a main housing, a housing supporting bracket adapted to be attached to a vertical supporting member, means to connect the housing and bracket so that the housing may be pivoted with respect to the bracket on a vertical aXis from an operative position in which it projects substantially at right angles to the supporting member to an inoperative position in which it lies parallel to the supporting member, a load receiving scale lever pivoted in the housing, a pivot pin on the housing mounting the inner end of the scale` lever, said scale lever having an outer arm projecting from the housing, the outer end of the scale lever lying substantially horizontal, an indicating means connected to the scale lever to indicate the amount of deliection of the lever, resilient load sustaining means Within the housing, means connecting the load sustaining means to the scale lever so that the load sustaining means opposes deiiection of the scale lever, and means operative upon such connecting means to thrust the scale lever into a vertical, inoperative, position when the housing is pivoted with respect to the bracket to lie parallel to the sustaining member.

5. A Weighing device comprising a main housing, a housing supporting bracket adapted to be attached to a vertical supporting member, means to connect the housing and bracket so'that the housing may be pivoted with respect to the bracket on a vertical axis from anoperative position in which it projects substantially at right angles to the supporting member to an inoperative position in which it lies parallel to the supporting member, a load receiving scale lever pivoted in the housing, a pivot pin on the housing mounting the inner end of the scale lever, said scale lever having an outer arm projecting from the housing, the outer end of the scale lever lying substantially horizontal, an indicating means connected to the scale lever to indicate the amount of deflection 0:? the lever, resilient load sustaining means within the housing, means connecting the load sustaining means to the scale lever so that the load sustaining means opposes deflection of the scale lever, a rst cam iixed with respect to the bracket, and a second cam affixed to the connecting means and cooperating with the nrst cam to cause the scale lever to be t irust into a vertical, inoperative, position when the housing is pivoted with respect to the bracket Number Name Date to lie parallel to the supporting member. 1,930,606 Bouseld Oct. 17, 1933 HENRY F. HOWARD. 2,003,737 Butler June 4, 1935 2,039,528 Garbell May 5, 1936 REFERENCES CITED 5 2,139,634 Heigs Dec. 6, 193'8 The following references are of record in the 2,354,390 LOWY July 25: 1944 fue of this patent; 2,412,270' Johnston DSC. 10, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Numbef Name Date n 10 Number Country Date 282,045 Kmgwell Aug- 7, 188e 619,713 Germany oct. 5, 1935 3711920 Both Oct- 251 1887 621,943 Germany Nov. 15, 1935 1,190,632 Collette July 11, 1916 

